Tony Hale added to Being the Ricardos cast

30 March 2021

Tony Hale has joined the cast of 'Being the Ricardos'.

Tony Hale

The 50-year-old star has boarded the upcoming movie about the relationship between the 'I Love Lucy' stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who are being played by Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem.

Alia Shawkat and Jake Lacy have also been cast in the film with production set to begin in Los Angeles this week.

Aaron Sorkin is writing and directing the flick, which is set during one production week of 'I Love Lucy' – from a Monday table read through to audience filming on Friday – as Lucille and Desi face a crisis that could end their careers and another that could end their marriage.

Tony will play the sitcom's executive producer and head writer Jess Oppenheimer with Shawkat and Lacy taking on the roles of the show's long-time writing partners Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll Jr.

J.K. Simmons and Nina Arianda have also been cast as Lucille and Desi's 'I Love Lucy' co-stars William Frawley and Vivian Vance.

Clark Gregg, Nelson Franklin, John Rubinstein, Linda Lavin, Robert Pine and Christopher Denham all have supporting roles in the film.

Sorkin said: "'Being the Ricardos' is a drama about the people behind the making of television's most famous comedy. I'm looking forward to working with Nicole, Javier, J.K., Nina and the rest of our great cast."

Desi and Lucille's children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. are serving as executive producers on the movie.

Lucie said: "My brother Desi and I signed on because this is a story of our folks' real-life, passionate and tempestuous and complicated relationship and not a recreation of 'I Love Lucy' – no one could do that.

"We felt exploring that relationship could be an enlightening challenge. We asked Amazon for the best and we got it with every hire. Aaron Sorkin has not told this tale as a 'cradle to grave' biopic. Instead, he's chosen to illuminate a snippet of time during an incredibly intense period of the show's enduring success.

"The casting choices have all been inspired and Desi and I are so looking forward to seeing what this impressive group of actors make of Sorkin's delicious script."